Matthew explains autism to Philip [The Chosen]

In a slightly apocryphal :-) talk between Matthew and Philip, Matthew sketches the fundamental issue with autism.

[Klaus-yv]

Matthew: “I’m autistic”
Philip: “Good for you” 😂

[captainbirch.]

The idea of someone from biblical times saying "im sorry, man" is kind of hilarious to me 😅

[cabellero]

Matthew was called, not because he was " special" but because he was willing to leave Everything to follow Jesus!

[mrs.g.]

Feeling like an outsider . . . I so understand. My heart goes out to the Matthew character. What's cool is that Jesus loves Matthew and has plans for him. With God, you're never alone!

[MariahGrace]

I'm not autistic, but I am a highly sensitive, extremely meek and quiet person. I can relate to Matthew. Thats how I've felt my entire life.

[chatsmeow]

As someone with Autism, I adore this scene. I have a better ability for social skills than Matthew does, but I saw younger me yelling at me through the screen. It's powerful stuff. Watching Jesus call someone like me, whose way of being is a remainder from the fall, is amazing. Jesus says when he heals the blind man in John 6 that He uses disabilities for His good. I am no more or less worthy of the kingdom of heaven than someone who doesn't need to carry around headphones all the time. I love Jesus

[skylerthompson]

I don't know if they intended Matthew to be autistic or if he just ended up that way on accident but he is by far one of the better depictions of someone with autism in media. He's not robotic, blissfully unaware, and seemingly inhuman. He's very clearly a human that is constantly frustrated because he can't understand others and nobody understands him.

[rebeccasainz]

The main thing with autism is that although there are common characteristics, it is truly a “spectrum”. Each individual is quite unique. Matthew was explaining where he happened to be.

[shanewright]

"They're simple ideas, for a complicated people...." How very true.

[Cactiivx]

I am autistic and i very immediately noticed how Matthew in the series seemed to be autistic and the representation made me so happy especially since a lot of people seem to be stigmatizing the condition and make it seem like it’s something “bad” when it’s a difference in how our brains take in information

[benrops]

Not religious at all, so I'm not sure why this is in my recommended, but damn this hits hard. I'm autistic and drew the exact same thing to explain how I felt to my friends when I was a kid. They laughed at me and made fun of me for it. I don't blame them, it wasn't malicious, just ignorance. Seeing Philip be so accepting and understanding to Matthew feels really validating. Just a reminder that there are good people out there to support you!

[crimsonstripes]

Thankfully, we now have scriptures like ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:13‬ ‭NLT‬‬
that reads

"The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure."

This is in the context of temptation, but honestly still directly applies and is very encouraging in that everything we deal with us not unique, and that it is only the devil that tries to make us feek alone as if nobody else has ever felt the way we do.

[trenae]

I like that they don’t try to insert Autism (phrase/diagnosis) into the Bible; rather, they simply show that the characteristics translate across time. They would not have had the term Autistic or Neurodivergent, but they would have feelings of separation and anxiety. Hits home in a cleaner fashion:

[jtmartin]

Phillip and Matthew, from the Biblical Narrative, couldn’t be more different. Matthew was a tax collector in Capernaum who was probably raised in the Pharisaical school of Judaism, often considered the most liberal (in terms of their adherence to the Law of Moses). Phillip, as a follower of John the Baptist, was likely an Essene, traveling Holy Men and Women who lived a nomadic, monastic lifestyle, and were very, very conservative (once again in regards to strict adherence to the Law of Moses as written) . Not only were their lifestyles different, but their religious backgrounds were, too. It’s like if Matthew was a Methodist IRS agent working in New York and Phillip was an Eastern Orthodox monk who traveled around the East Coast.

[DivineKnight_]

What’s funny is that all the apostles felt like outsiders one way or another. A bunch of poor fisherman, a religious extremist assassin, a tax man etc. everyone has to learn we are on the outside just by ourselves. People think they are part of groups but no man can become the group. We are individuals as God ordained we be to be in relationship with him and one another. Being in a relationship whether family, friends etc is different than being part of a group.

[andersen]

As an aspie, I absolutely love Matthew. Just like me, he excels at math and memory but falls completely short when trying to understand other humans. If you have an Aspie (high functioning Autism) child, explain everything and especially pay kind attention when they shut down. Examples: "When someone gives you a gift, this is what they are thinking and "What they are hoping your reaction will be "They feel this " "You seem to be feeling this is that correct?" People, and especially other kids, can be mean and ostracizing. Build trust so they can come to you at the end of the day and get guidance and reassurance. .

[calihorton]

As someone who has lived almost my entire life as a believer and someone on the spectrum Matthew is one of the characters I relate to most. I become agitated when people say he is “lower socially and autistic” making it sound like something negative. I can’t stand it. Matthew is incredibly important and once I began to relate to him and see all of the mannerisms in myself and my own thinking and understanding of my faith just makes me love the Word and the Chosen even more. That’s what this show is doing taking characters and stories we have heard all of our lives and making them human and relatable. Think about all the places this show is streaming and all of the hearts it is changing Christ said to go into all of the world and make disciples of all nations that is what the Chosen is doing ….teaching us to swim against the current to be changed because He called us by name. shalom shalom 🦁

[EquineMetalhead]

I’m autistic (was diagnosed at fifteen) and I absolutely 100% understand what Mathew is feeling here. You see, autism makes your brain work in a different way and there are many kinds of autism. I have high functioning autism which means I can talk and walk. But I have a hard time socializing and understanding. So when Mathew explained to Phillip that nothing makes sense, I understand that feeling.

But being autistic isn’t a curse. It’s just a challenge. I believe God chose me to have all my mental illnesses cause he knew I could handle it. He believes in me ❤

[Truckergregg]

I love the character Philip in this series.

[poodledoodlequilter]

My youngest son is autistic and non verbal for the first 5 years of his life. I got tired of people telling me what to do. I let him graduate at 12 and at 19 he received his PhD. He can not pack a bag, fix a meal or do laundry but he can put a satellite in space! He works for a company that helps him! My point GOD HAS IT HANDLED!